Defense Secretary Leon Panetta salutes as he boards a plane for California after returning from NATO meetings in Brussels Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Hoping that former Sen. Chuck Hagel will be confirmed as the new defense secretary in the next few days, Panetta said this would be his last overseas trip as the top civilian at the Pentagon. (AP Photo/Chip Somodevilla, Pool)